With the performance “AI Dentity”, Erik Rosales explores artificial intelligence as an identity creator and enlists the help of a research robot on stage.
“With God on My Back”, written by comedian Josefin Johansson, depicts the life of Saint Birgitta in the form of a comic musical.
"With God in Your Back" by comedian Josefin Johansson takes a humorous approach to Saint Birgitta. Press photo.
“Worn-out” mammals
The musical “We Are Mammals”, which premieres in January, is based on lyrics by artist Annika Norlin (Säkert!), mainly from her 2017 album “Däggdjur”.
It’s the same game I think Annika herself is playing: looking at the animal in the human and vice versa, says playwright Ada Berger, who is behind the performance, directed by Johanna Salander.
Berger is clear that the musical is not a “Mamma Mia!” that tries to tie all the songs together, but rather works as a kind of collage of different “shabby” characters.
For me, it was more fun to think about a collective on stage that visits the songs and tries to fantasize about “how did this get here” and “where are you to have to sing this”?
Social anxiety
Ada Berger is used to portraying other people’s work, but since she is a big fan of Annika Norlin’s music, it was a challenge that the lyrics already felt finished. The writing loosened up when Berger started looking for context for the stories in the songs.
A theme that runs through the performance is the feeling of not fitting in. For example, in “Allt flyter”, someone would rather sing than feel social anxiety over small talk.
How does it feel to be in a situation where you really try to talk about important things, but the person you’re talking to is really, really bad? Then you can start fantasizing about it, says Ada Berger.
What do you think?